Carson Daly Announces Positive Health Update After Long Today Show Absence

Carson Daly has been a fixture on NBC for years. He hosts "The Voice," the NBC New Years' special, and his role as a social reporter for the "Today" show. Recently though, it's been hard to catch a glimpse of Daly as he's been recovering from extensive surgery. In August, Daly decided to briefly step away from his role on the "Today" show to undergo a spinal fusion procedure.

"(I was) totally deteriorating physically," Daly explained in an email to "Today" producers. "For me, I've have always believed that surgery would be only a last resort after I exhausted all other forms of pain relief methods and lower back healing techniques," he continued. "Simply put, after 20 years, I tried literally everything." Daly hurt his back in 1997 in a snowmobile accident while working with MTV. Since then, he has been plagued with excruciating lower back pain that has worsened over the years. The chronic pain has affected every part of Daly's life, from work to how he sleeps at night.

So, in September, Daly got an Anterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion (ALIF) procedure and took time off work to focus entirely on recovery. Over a month later, Daly returned to "Today" with some exciting updates about his health.

After extensive surgery and a seven-week recovery, Carson Daly returned to the "Today" show feeling better than ever. Daly was happy to tell his colleagues and fans that the procedure had been a success. Daly, who admitted he still had a ways to go in terms of his recovery, is enjoying a new lease on life. His improved health has made him reconsider everything in his life, including his relationship with food.

"When you're in pain and you're looking to just feel good, that changes your relationship with food and drink and your life," he said. "And then when they fix the pain, you're left with these other complex areas of your life that you need to deal with and realign with." Daly has been very open about his health in the past, including his struggles with chronic anxiety — something he also works to overcome daily. 

As Daly continues to find balance in his new life, he hopes that his journey can inspire others to put their health first. "If you're struggling with physical or mental pain please seek help. It's hard to see, but there's a light at the other end," he wrote in an emotional Instagram post. "After many years, I just saw it." For now, though, Daly is just glad to be back at work and spent his first day back reporting on everything from "The Crown" to Harrison Ford's new role.